Rotary internal combustion engine

ABSTRACT

A rotary internal combustion engine is provided employing external rotors with inter-meshing gears, the rotors being opened to the atmosphere for cooling and to expel the exploding gases which drive the gears by internal combustion so that combustion is completed outside the engine in the presence of air to consume unburned hydrocarbons and carbon monoxide in the manner of ordinary external combustion.

United States Patent 1 1 Molyneaux 1 Jan. 9, 1973 541 ROTARY INTERNALCOMBUSTION ENGINE [76] Inventor: John William Molyneaux, 2010 ErskineAvenue, Silver Spring, Md. 20902 22 Filed: Jan.2l,l97l

21 Appl.No.: 108,393

52 U.S.Cl ..l23/8.47,418/196 51 Int. Cl ..F02b 53/00 [58] Field ofSearch ..l23/8.01, 8.07, 8.27, 8.11, 123/8.47;418/206,196;60/39.61

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,323,499 6/1967 Gijbeis"123 811 1,656,538 1/1923 Smith ..418/196X Primary Examiner-William E.Wayner Attorney-Arnold G. Gulko [57] ABSTRACT A rotary internalcombustion engine is provided employing external rotors withinter-meshing gears, the rotors being opened to the atmosphere forcooling and to expel the exploding gases which drive the gears byinternal combustion so that combustion is completed outside the enginein the presence of air to consume unburned hydrocarbons and carbonmonoxide in the manner of ordinary external combustion.

6 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures PATENTEDJAN 9191s "wen/m? Jv/l/v W/LLMMMar/max arm/avers CIIRBUEE TOE Miw 1 ROTARY INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINEThe present invention relates to rotary internal combustion engines ofsimplified construction and which are capable of reduced emissions ofunburned hydrocarbons and carbon monoxide.

As is well known, internal combustion engines provide compact powersources, but the fact that combustion occurs internally of the engineeffectively prevents complete combustion, and the unburned hydrocarbonsand carbon monoxide contained in the exhaust gases constitute today amajor source of air pollution.

External combustion engines have the advantage of complete combustionsince the combustion flame is surrounded by air, but the engines arequite massive and complex.

At least one pair of rotors with intermeshing-gears is arranged betweenopposed end plates and a fuel-air mixture is supplied to the enteringnip between the rotors. The gears come together compressing the mixturewhich is ignited so that the exploding gases force the gears apart topower the motor. The exterior of the rotors, especially where the gearsmove apart, is unconfined so that the exploding gases can exit quicklyin the form of a flame to complete the combustion outside the engine andso that air can enter the space between the gears and provide air forsubsequent combustion as explained more fully hereinafter.

In its preferred form, four rotors with intermeshing gear teeth arearranged between opposed end plates in a closed circle to provide acompletely enclosed interior area to which the fuel-air mixture issupplied. These four rotors will form two opposed regions in which theintermeshing gear teeth will come together and then move outwardly ofthe engine and two other opposed regions in which the intermeshing gearteeth will come together and then move inwardly of the engine. Thefuel-air mixture is drawn toward the opposed regions where the gearteeth move outwardly and is compressed and ignited in these regions, theexploding gases forcing the gear teeth apart to power the motor. Asindicated before, the exterior of the rotors is unconfined, especiallywhere the gear teeth move apart, so that the exploding gases can quicklyexit in the form of a flame for the purposes noted hereinbefore. Theterm gear teeth is used herein, but these teeth can also be viewed asvanes since, while they are preferably in close proximity, this is notessential and some modest spacing is permissible. Also, additionalrotors with meshing gears may be added, preferably in pairs, where therotors move inwardly of the engine. Still further, the faster thepressure is reduced after, the gear teeth open, the better is theoperation of the engine.

In connection with the engine containing four or more rotors, and inorder to employ ordinary fuels with ordinary carburetion, at least oneof the end plates is apertured where the gear teeth come together tomove toward the interior of the engine. This causes the air compressedbetween the gear teeth to be squeezed out to create a vacuum in theinterior of the engine. This vacuum is used to draw air through thecarburetor to supply the engine with the required fuel-air mixture. As afeature of the invention, the air expelled through the end plates isconveyed to the carburetor to provide a supercharger. This air ispreheated in cooling the gear teeth, which is helpful on a cold day.

' event the air compressed between the gears provides air in theinterior of the engine to permit fuel injection instead of carburetion.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation showing the engine, auxiliary equipment beingeither omitted or shown in phantom;

FIG. 2 is a cross-section taken on the line 2-2 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 diagramatically illustrates a two rotor engine.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, 10 denotes an internalcombustion engine constituted by end plates 11 and 12, rotors 13, l4, l5and 16, revolving as shown by arrows in FIG. 2, and combustion meansindicated diagramatically at 17 and 18. The combustion means may be aglow plug or a spark plug firing at high rate since not special timingis needed. The end plates 11 and 12 are held in predetermined spacedrelation by collars l9, bolts 20 and nuts 21. The engine 10 is carriedby appropriate supports shown here in the form of girders 22 and 23.

As can be seen, especially in FIG. 2, the four rotors 13, 14, 15 and 16are arranged in a closed circle providing a completely enclosed interiorarea 24 to which a fuel-air mixture is supplied via supply tube 25.Also, the gear teeth of the four rotors l3, l4, l5 and 16 mesh so that,in the opposed combustion regions 17 and 18, the intermeshing gear teethcome together and then move outwardly of the engine. As will be evident,as the gears come together, they pick up the fuel-air mixture suppliedto the area 24 and compress it so that when the mixture reaches the zone17 or 18, it will be compressed and will explode upon exposure to theglow or spark plugs 26 which are positioned in one or both of end plates11 and 12 for this purpose.

It is stressed that the expanding gases produced by explosion in theconfined space between the gear teeth at 17 and 18 forces the gearsapart producing a continuous rotation of all the rotors and any one ormore of the rotor shafts may be used as a source of power. In thisinstance, the shaft 15' associated with rotor 15 is used as the maindrive shaft. Also, the shafts of the several rotors can be gearedtogether, external of the engine, to provide a single power take-off.

The exhaust ports 27 and 28 are shown in FIG. 2, these being formed inplate 11. The ports 27 and 28 are connected to the carburetor by meansof conduits 29 and 30 shown in FIG. 1. As will be evident, ports 27 and28 are positioned in the opposed regions in which the intermeshing gearteeth are moving toward the interior of the engine. Since the gearsexpel gas from the interior 24 via the opposed regions 17 and 18 andsince most of the air brought in to the opposed regions 27 and 28 isexpelled through the exhaust ports, a vacuum is generated at 24 whichdraws the fuel-air mixture in from the carburetor via the supply tube25. Thus, it is not necessary to supercharge the engine by using thecompressed air in conduits 29 and 30, but it is helpful to do this sinceit reduces the size of the carburetor-air inlet complex, it warms theintake air, and it increases the rotational speed and horsepower of theengine.

The end plates 11 and 12 are desirably flat steel plates which are heldin spaced relation as previously explained, additional securing boltsbeing shown at 33 in FIG. 2. The rotors are largely exposed to theatmosphere and this not only permits the combusted mixture to reach theatmosphere while still hot enough to burn as a flame, as shown at 31 and32, but the gear teeth are directly exposed to cooling air whichminimizes the need for extraneous cooling. Also, this permits the gearteeth to pick up atmospheric air to supply the carburetor via theconduits 29 and 30. It also minimizes expense and weight.

The result is an extremely simple and powerful radial engine which doesnot pollute and which is very simple to operate since it includes novalves or timing and minimal cooling and oiling.

From the standpoint of oil, a small amount of oil can e sprayed in asshown by arrow A and oil can also be supplied to lubricate the sealedarea between the rotor ends and the end plates. Also, the entire enginecan be shrouded to catch expelled oil and to muffle engine noise.

Referring to FIG. 3, the engine 40 is provided with rotors 41 and 42which rotate as shown by arrows, the rotors being confined between andend plates 43 and 44 by means of bolts as explained hereinbefore. Fuelis injected as diagramatically indicated at 45 and the mixture iscompressed and ignited at 46.

The invention is defined in the claims which follow.

I claim:

1. A rotary internal combustion engine comprising four rotors withintermeshing gear teeth arranged between opposed end plates in a closedcircle to provide a completely enclosed interior area, means to supply afuel-air mixture to said interior area, said ro tors forming two opposedregions in which the intermeshing gear teeth will come together and thenmove outwardly of the engine and two other opposed regions in which theintermeshing gear teeth will come together and then move inwardly of theengine, means for igniting the fuel-air mixture where the gear teethmove outwardly and come together to compress the mixture, the exteriorof said rotors being unconfined so that the exploding gases can quicklyexit in the form of a flame to complete the combustion outside theengine in the presence of air, and so that the rotors will release theexploding gases and directly expose the gear teeth to the atmosphere.

2. A rotary internal combustion engine as recited in claim 1 in which atleast one of the end plates is apertured where the gear teeth cometogether and move inwardly to squeeze out the air between the gearteeth.

3. A rotary internal combustion engine as recited in claim 2 in whichthe air squeezed out from between the gear teeth is supplied to acarburetor to form the fuelair mixture for said engine.

4. A rotary internal combustion engine as recited in claim 1 in whichthe air in said gear teeth is permitted to remain in said engine andfuel is directly injected into said interior area.

5. A rotary internal combustion engine as recited in claim 1 in whichthe means to ignite the fueLair mix ture is a glow plug mounted in atleast one of said end plates.

6. A rotary internal combustion engine comprising at least two rotorswith intermeshing gear teeth arranged between opposed end plates, saidrotors definin a nip therebetween in which the gear teeth come toge erto compress the gases between the teeth, means to supply a fuel-airmixture to said nip, means for igniting the compressed fuel-air mixture,the exterior of said rotors being unconfined so that the exploding gasescan quickly exit in the form of a flame to complete the combustionoutside the engine in the presence of air, and so that the rotors willrelease the exploding gases and directly expose the gear teeth to theatmosphere.

1. A rotary internal combustion engine comprising four rotors withintermeshing gear teeth arranged between opposed end plates in a closedcircle to provide a completely enclosed interior area, means to supply afuel-air mixture to said interior area, said rotors forming two opposedregions in which the intermeshing gear teeth will come together and thenmove outwardly of the engine and two other opposed regions in which theintermeshing gear teeth will come together and then move inwardly of theengine, means for igniting the fuel-air mixture where the gear teethmove outwardly and come together to compress the mixture, the exteriorof said rotors being unconfined so that the exploding gases can quicklyexit in the form of a flame to complete the combustion outside theengine in the presence of air, and so that the rotors will release theexploding gases and directly expose the gear teeth to the atmosphere. 2.A rotary internal combustion engine as recited in claim 1 in which atleast one of the end plates is apertured where the gear teeth cometogether and move inwardly to squeeze out the air between the gearteeth.
 3. A rotary internal combustion engine as recited in claim 2 inwhich the air squeezed out from between the gear teeth is supplied to acarburetor to form the fuel-air mixture for said engine.
 4. A rotaryinternal combustion engine as recited in claim 1 in which the air insaid gear teeth is permitted to remain in said engine and fuel isdirectly injected into said interior area.
 5. A rotary internalcombustion engine as recited in claim 1 in which the means to ignite thefuel-air mixture is a glow plug mounted in at least one of said endplates.
 6. A rotary internal combustion engine comprising at least tworotors with intermeshing gear teeth arranged between opposed end plates,said rotors defining a nip therebetween in which the gear teeth cometogether to compress the gases between the teeth, means to supply afuel-air mixture to said nip, means for igniting the compressed fuel-airmixture, the exterior of said rotors being unconfined so that theexploding gases can quickly exit in the form of a flame to complete thecombustion outside the engine in the presence of air, and so that therotors will release the exploding gases and directly expose the gearteeth to the atmosphere.